Just a Book
by Deliverer
Summary: "Sam, what brings you here?" he asked. "Jerry, I have a question," she hesitantly replied. "Go on," he gently prompted. "There's a book about a man. And a girl..." He looked slowly up at her, expression grave. It scared him that he knew what she meant.


_**Totally Spies Segments And Shorts**_

(A/N: Just an experiment, really. It's not rated T because of language or violence, but because the subject matter is controversial to many. Besides, I hadn't found a story under Jerry so I made one. Besides, there was an episode that inspired this.)

_Just A Book_

She looked through the door. He was sitting at his desk writing something. Probably a record of some kind. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door, gliding in. He didn't hear or see her. She smirked. She was moving like a cat. When she was mere steps away he looked sharply up, guarded, and she wondered, really, whether or not he'd heard her _after_ all. On seeing her, however, he relaxed. Laying down his pen he folded his hands on his desk, questioning, "Sam, what brings you here? I don't recall Whoohping you three."

"Only me this time Jer," she stated.

"Really? Well then what's the problem?" he asked. She was hesitating, unsure of how to proceed from here. Strange, he thought. She was usually ready with some comment or reply. Something was troubling her. He couldn't help but feel slightly concerned.

Finally, having weighed her words, she answered, "Jerry, I have a question regarding… um, something."

"Go on," he prompted.

"Okay, there's… there's this man," she began.

He frowned in distaste. Shuffling his papers on his desk, he questioned, "Boy troubles? Isn't this something you should be talking to your friends or mother about?" She caught the bitterness in his tone. "Really, Sam, I cannot be bothered with such frivolities."

She continued, ignoring him, "It's a book about a man and a girl." On hearing this he paused. Slowly he looked up at her, expression grave. It scared him. He knew what she meant.

After a moment he put the stack down, gently saying, "Go on."

She rubbed her arms and blushed. She'd known it would be hard, but she couldn't imagine it would be like _this_. She finally gave a frustrated sigh and continued, "She's in early adulthood. He, though, is an older man. Middle aged, in fact. Jer, what are your views on May-December romances?"

The two looked steadily at each other. Finally Jerry rubbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, mulling this question over. Entwining his fingers together in front of his eyes, he carefully said, "I know the book you speak of. Refresh my memory. Is she mature for her age? If so, is she sure it is enough so to make such a decision?"

Sam rubbed an arm, looking down, then answered bashfully, "She's always thought so."

"Fair enough, now let's try this. Does she still take romance frivolously? A school girl's crush on boy after boy?" he questioned.

"Even before the whole affair, she was nothing compared to say Clover or Alex. As it is now, though…" she trailed off.

"Yes, go on, he prompted patiently.

She looked up at him and stood straight and proud, bravery returning. "Ever since these feelings for him started…" she began. She then paused. After a moment she smirked and wryly chuckled, continuing, "He's ruined her for any other man. Ever since the start, she's forgotten what it is to think about another guy in the way she thinks of him."

Jerry's mouth slowly, gently, fell open. He closed it after a moment in order to clear his throat and tighten his tie, eyes tightly closed. Oh how he'd hoped not to hear those words. No, not quite true. He had so wanted them to ring in his ears, yet at the same time hadn't. Finally he looked up at her and stated, "Then, if she is sure of her choice, I see nothing wrong with it. Sam grinned, but Jerry never smiled, just continued, "But…"

Her grin fell and she looked sadly down to the side, saying, "There would have to be a 'but.'"

A smirk flashed across his features then faded. He continued, "But to say and to prove are two different things entirely."

"Hasn't she proven herself _yet_?" Sam demanded to know, tone hardening. Now they were on the same page. He remembered how this book was going.

"Surely there must be other complications?" Jerry questioned, ignoring her question.

She stared at him solemnly for a moment, then replied, "Why hasn't he done anything? She wouldn't even know he felt a thing if she hadn't caught onto subtle clues. She wouldn't have picked out said cues unless she herself felt them."

He looked steadily at her. Finally he answered, "Because he is a coward. A self-proclaimed coward. He knows about May to December romances. He knows that, while they are becoming increasingly common, more often than not they are taboo in this society. He never wanted to accept such a blow to his reputation, but for _her_ he _will_. He'd bend Earth and Heaven if he could if she so wished it. It's _her_ reputation that he's worried about. He knows well enough that she will take what comes her way, but reputation isn't the only thing on the line. Samantha, she is young, barely beyond the blossom of youth; young and sheltered. He's lived half his life already, world weary, bitter, and hardened. She has hopes and dreams in abundance. What hopes and dreams he's had, he's either accomplished or given up on. Her whole life is in front of her."

"She's not the only one who has her life ahead of her," she protested.

"What of children, Sam? Surely the girl in this story wants a family," Jerry declared slightly sharply.

"What about _him_?" she asked.

Jerry was silent a moment. Finally he answered, "There was a time he wanted one." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then continued, "Think about it Sam. For how long, really, would any child born to them have its father? By the time the child was twenty, daddy would be what, in his seventies or eighties? And that's if, and only if, it happened right away. Trust me, Sam, she doesn't want to make this mistake with her life."

"It's not a mistake," Sam defended. "Look Jer, doesn't he care enough for her to let this one slide? If he's against it, if he doesn't love her, then he should just say so, and she'll never bother him again."

"Samantha, he _loves_ her. There's no doubt of _that_. He loves her desperately, in his own way. It will _never_ change," Jerry stated.

"He has a funny way of showing it," Sam complained.

"He has his own methods of showing it. It may not be outward, it may not be obvious or advertised like with the young people, but I promise you this, he loves her more than he's loved anyone or anything before in his life. Perhaps that's why he refuses to go forward with things. He won't do this unless he is absolutely certain she can make this kind of decision on her own. Sam, let her go out and find a younger man, one who can give her everything she desires and deserves," Jerry firmly ordered. "It's too late for him."

"_He_ can give her everything, "Sam declared, voice cracking. "It's _never_ too late. This reasoning isn't _good_ enough Jerry. What else is he afraid of? What keeps him away from her? _Besides_ the fact he's worried she isn't mature enough to take this chance."

He looked at her, eyes hardening, then rose and went to the large screen, gazing at his reflection in it. And hers. After a time he answered, "He's cursed, Samantha. A cursed man. Everyone he's ever loved, ever cared about, has wound up either dead or a villain. He's been betrayed and hurt more often than he can count anymore. So he shies away from it, because he doesn't want her to suffer the same fate. He's shocked she and her friends haven't fallen victim to it _yet_."

"There's no such thing as curses," Sam stated.

Jerry smirked then replied, "He won't tempt fate when it comes to her."

"She won't betray him," Sam declared.

Jerry answered, "He's heard that before."

She replied, "But she _means_ it."

"He's heard that too," Jerry said with a sigh.

"She _can't_ betray him. She _couldn't_. She owes so much to him," she protested.

"Would you believe he's heard that as well?" Jerry wryly questioned with a bitter chuckle. He returned to his desk and sat, looking up to her.

"Darn it Jerry, she means every word!" Sam yelled.

"Need I repeat myself again?" he asked. She found herself seriously wondering just how many times, exactly, he _had_ been betrayed.

"But has he heard it quite like this?" Sam demanded. All at once she leaned over the desk and grabbed his shirt, pulling him swiftly across to her. Her lips met his firmly. It wasn't a passionate kiss; at least not like most saw passion, tongue's dancing around. It was firm, but gentle, and full of such emotion any passionate kiss would have been shamed. At first shocked, Jerry felt himself surrendering into it. Slowly his hand moved to cup her cheek, to caress her face and hair, and he felt himself retuning. Soon she pulled from the kiss, both gently panting, faces centimeters apart. He licked his lips and swallowed. Finally opening their eyes to look at one another, she whispered, "I will _never_ betray you. I _couldn't_ betray you."

He just gazed at her in awe, mouth open in shock. Before she could pull away completely, he suddenly drew her back to him and met her lips again, tears in his eyes; in both their eyes. This time he let her go at the kisses end, saying, "Thank you, Sam."

Just then the door flew open and a voice called, "Sammie!" Clover. The two looked over quickly.

"There you are!" Alex added. "We've been looking everywhere for you."

"Cha. Come on girlfriend, let's go shopping!" Clover declared.

"Alex, Clover, sorry. I'll be right with you. We done here Jer?" Sam asked her boss.

"Of course Sam," Jerry confirmed.

The three girls nodded and left. "So what were you talking about?" Alex asked.

"Jer giving you heck?" Clover questioned.

She smirked secretively. "No. Just talking about a book," she answered. Clover and Alex exchanged curious glances.

* * *

><p>Final Notes: I hope you enjoyed the story. Maybe someday I'll write another for Totally Spies, but until then this is all I have. I hope you enjoyed.<p> 


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